Animal cruelty charges filed against Frankford woman

The Pennsylvania SPCA last week filed animal cruelty charges against a Frankford woman who had more than 200 cats in her Fillmore Street home. The PSPCA filed 241 summary counts against 64-year-old Lanie Jacobson for unsanitary conditions and 44 counts for failure to provide veterinary care, spokeswoman Sarah Eremus stated in an April 29 news release.

“On each of the counts, the defendant faces up to 90 days imprisonment, 90 days prohibition of animal ownership, and fines of up to $750,” Eremus wrote.

On March 26, citing dangerously high levels of ammonia, PSPCA workers began removing 241 cats from Jacobson’s home, a double property on the 1600 block of Fillmore Street. Eremus said the building’s floors were covered with cat feces.

In March, Jacobson told the Northeast Times she had been running a cat rescue operation in her house. With about $200,000 a year supplied by a philanthropist she would not name, she said she had the money for staff to help her care for the animals. However, the money stopped coming in August, she said. On March 25, Eremus said, PSPCA investigators found hundreds of cats inside the bright yellow stucco buildings. It was their urine that produced the high ammonia levels.

The cats were removed and taken to the PSPCA headquarters on Erie Avenue.

“Close to one hundred of the cats have been adopted out by the PSPCA or sent to rescue partner organizations,” Eremus stated in her news release. “The owner has refused to surrender the remaining 73 cats and the PSPCA will continue to care for these animals until disposition of the court proceedings.” ••